Jessica Cuy's Archive
Islam to be Added to German Public School Curriculum in North Rhine-Westphalia
While the prospect of religious education in public schools may confound or upset Americans, it is a common aspect of the German education system. In addition to many other major differences between the U.S. and German public schooling, German schools offer Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish religion courses for students hoping to infuse… Read more >
Die Betreuungsgeld-Debatte: Implications for Integration
On June 6, 2012, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet approved a proposal that would issue financial support (a so-called Betreuungsgeld, or child care subsidy) to families who care for their toddlers at home in lieu of enrolling them in state daycare facilities. If passed, it will appropriate 300 million Euros (500 million dollars) … Read more >
Transatlantic Trends: Consistency Amid Disorder
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS) has released the results of its 2011 Transatlantic Trends: Immigration survey. Conducted via phone surveys of more than 13,000 European and North American residents (in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), this survey assesses public opinion of immigration… Read more >
Cybersecurity in Germany – Toward a Risk-based Approach
Statistics indicate that the instance of cyberattacks continues to increase despite improvements in detection of malicious software. Mr. Jan Neutze contends that in light of the increasing prevalence of cybersecurity breaches, governments should adopt risk-based approaches to protect themselves against cyberattacks. Risk-based cybersecurity methods rely on experts determining areas of security weakness,… Read more >
The Decentralization of the Electricity Grid-Mitigating Risk in the Energy Sector
Ms. Kirsten Verclas urges that nations such as the U.S. and Germany move to create more regional electricity grids to decrease vulnerability of their electricity supply. Centralized energy grids are often cited as a potential target for terrorists and prove vulnerable in environmental disasters. One must not look beyond the example of… Read more >
The Arab Awakening One Year On: A European Perspective
The Arab awakening that commenced late in 2010 has precipitated vast political changes in Arab nations. While the upheaval continues in many societies, nations such as Egypt and Tunisia continue to alter the structure of their societies in an effort to move away from totalitarian regimes. Admittedly, the success of these revolutions… Read more >
Educational Equity for Immigrants in Germany
The German and American public education systems differ substantially. American students who attend public high schools can enroll in classes in a wide range of subjects. Regardless of whether they are high-achieving, academically-driven individuals or students with interests more pertaining to trade-related or vocational careers, students may elect to enroll in courses… Read more >
Energy Security Risk Assessment: A Transatlantic Comparison
Despite facing similar challenges, the United States and Germany continually diverge in their creation of energy policy. Mr. Aki Kachi argues that Germany pursues risk-averse energy policy, citing the nation’s decision to phase out its nuclear power plants by 2022 and the Energiewende, a large-scale movement to develop renewable energy. Conversely, U.S…. Read more >
Volkswagen Outpaces Economic Forecasts While Southern European Car Sales Dwindle
This week, Volkswagen (VW) announced wage increases for over 100,000 workers in six of its plants in western Germany. Representatives of IG Metall and upper management of VW reached this agreement in a second round of deliberations on Thursday. In addition to the 4.3% annual wage increase, the company agreed to the… Read more >
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